Agents of Secrecy

Our investigation takes you deeper inside the corporate secrecy industry than ever before.

Time

2022

Location

London/Former Soviet Union

Reporters

Simon Bowers

Purity Mukami

Leila Haddou

Diarmid O'Sullivan

Graphics/Video

Clement Kumalija

MediaHack

Fact Checker

Richard Smith

Partner

BBC News Data Journalism Team and BBC Panorama

Using thousands of leaked documents and advanced data analysis, we have tracked down the masterminds and minions throughout Europe that make up five of the busiest Russia-facing corporate secrecy agencies.

Though all the agencies operate within the law, some of their shady clients are behind many of the biggest money laundering scandals of recent times.

Working with the BBC, we explain why money launderers across the former Soviet Union have, for decades, turned to anonymous companies in the United Kingdom.

We reveal how politicians have failed to stamp out corporate secrecy, despite boasts to the contrary. Their failure has helped criminals and money launderers to exploit loopholes to shift billions of dollars in dirty money through shell companies.

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